Index device



Nv. 10, 19,31. J. H` RAND 1,830,886

INDEX DEVICE 4 Filed Nov. 5, 1924 PROSPECT RESULT DF CALL SLESMAN OCCUFATION C7 2 Inv 871/ Zo? cfa/772,65 J, R an Z 9W/Wy W parent sheet celluloid which is formed of a Patented Nov. 10, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT -oiFFice JAMES H. RAND, OF NORTH TONAWANDA, NEW 'YORIL ASSIGNOBY, BYJMESNE-ASSIGN- VIIIIN TS, T0 REMINGTON RAND INC.,'OF"NEW1YORK,,NLYYWA k(III):EPURATION .0F DELA- i WARE,

YINDIE-X. DEVICE i Application filed vNovember 3, :1924. ,Serial No. 747,4i30.v

This invention relatestocardindexes and more particularly to card indexes of the type in which a plurality of cards are 'mounted in a horizontal or upright traine lin overlapping relationship, so that the lower margins ot' the cards are visible and so that thecards may be swung apart to display the data 0n the overlapping portions, and objectsof the invention-areto provide an index device having the, new andl improved featuresJ of construction and varrangement f hereinafter described. Y

The invention is shown by way of illustration in the accompanying vdrawingsin which Fig. 1 isa planviewfof an index embodyoverlapping relation. The drawer- 4 com# prises a shallow receptacle of the type' adapted to slide intoand out of a suitable cabinet and is provided with labelholders.

5 which may bear suitable inscriptions t0 identify the contents of the drawer.

',lheindexunits 3 are similarly constructed and each unit comprises a card holder o r pocket having a vholder sheet 5 ofcardboard or relatively stitfl paper to the upper `margin of whichis flexibly connected a supporting Arail 6 which'projectsbeyond the ends of the holder 5 and extends into channels formed on the opposite sides of the drawer Lthereby serving to hold l the ,index unitfin place. Detachably mounted on the holder Sheet 5 is a sheet 7 which may be of relatively flexible paper or other suitable material the opposite sides of which are coincident with the sides of the holder sheet 5 and the upper or outer margin 8 of which extendsto a slight distance below the rail 6 `and the upper margin of the holder sheet 5.

' Enclosing the lower margins of the sheet 7 and holder sheet 5 is asheath 9 of'transsheet of such materialV foldeduponl itself along onelongitudinal margin toormroxit" and rear walls which are yieldingly urged.

toward each other owingto the resiliency ol' the material; The opposite ends lof the front and rear walls of the sheath 9 adjacent the endsthereof are fastened to the holder removal ofI` the sheet romthe vsheath 9 is"V prevented although the sheet may readily be removed by a simple opei'ation'hereinafter described. Accordingly the sides'ofthe sheet 7 adjacent the lower marginal edgearecutvr away asindicated` at 10a andWlUPV tov 'torni endstrips 11a and 11b respectively,` the strip 11a vbeing somewhat longer 'than y"the stripv 111?. As attached; ythe lower lmargin of" the sheet '7' is inserted between the front wall ofsthe sheath 9 and the holder sheet k5, the strips 11a and 11b extending beneathk the staples 9a. It willbe apparent that.thesheet 7 may readily "be detached fromtlie yholder sheet 5 by moving the sheettothe right ('Figg4 1) 'to enable the shorterstrip 1'1b to be moved upwardly away from the, adjacent vstaple and thereafter moving the sheetto the leftto4 dise engage the strip 11a frombeneath the staple' Slaan-d thenioutwardly from'the sheathf9.

By attaching the sheet 7 -to the lholder sheet '5 in the manner `indicated a pocket is formed between the holder sheet and sheet 7 to receive an index card 12 which is prefer# ably shorter in horizontallength than the sheet 7 vand 'holder sheetr 5 so that it may" readily extend well into the pocket between the staples 9a but is longer verticallythan kthe sheet v7 so that the upper margin of the card extends above the upperfmargin ofthe sheet thus to enable the'card to be easily grasped Vin order. to remove itrfrom the into the pocket a portion thereof willY bervisible through any opening 13 vformed in the sheet '7 adjacent the lower margin thereof.

In4 order to visibly-indicate the absence ofthe J card 12 from the pocket an area 14 colored differently from the sheet or card in the iegion of the opening 13 may be provided on the holder sheet 5 thus when the card is removed this will be visibly indicated through the opening 13 without the necessity of swinging the index unit upwardly.

An index system as described may be eflec- `Y`lower margin of the card. All moves made" 4"by the salesmen are recorded on the master card so that in this manner the progress of asalesman with respect to a particular prospeet may be quickly and readily determined.

s'1`he'card`12 inserted between the front and 'back-is employed as the salesmanls report cardwhich is carried around by the salesman'when calling upon the prospect. The salesman makes notations on this card at the time of his call and upon returning to the agency these notations are copiedon the mastercard. Through the opening 13 in the sheetthe presence or absence of the salesniaiis card is observed, because the sales- Vymans card .is colored differently from the 'master card and therefore when in place between the front and back the different color will show up plainly through the opening. The colored area 14 on the holder sheet 5 is ...visible through the opening when the sales- `mans.card'is out, thereby enabling a person inspecting the index readily to determine whether or not the salesman is making a call,l

thus providing a check on his movements.

Different colored signals maybe used to en* able a person quickly to determine what is of interest to the prospect and what has been accomplished by the salesman. Thus a narrow strip 15 of transparent sheet Celluloid colored red may be interposed between the i front wall of the sheath 9 and the master card 7 and be employed to indicate that the prospect is interested in a closed model. If this strip is not in place it is assumed that the prospect is only interested in an open model. A substantially square Celluloid strip 16 similarly mounted may be colored blue or yellow and may serve to indicate the particular make of automobile which interests the prospect. Of course, if the agency handles a number of different makes then a different color may be assigned to each make.

rl`he lower margin ofthe card may be numbered 1 to 31 and an opening provided in the strip '16'is arranged to register with one of the numbersand the salesman by placing the black, gray, etc.

signal over the date of his next call on the prospect will be reminded of his appointment. Another strip 17 similar to the signal 15 inserted between the sheath 9 and master' card may. be colored violet and be `used to indicate that the prospect has been given a demonstration so that immediate steps may be taken to close the sale. Y Each signal is provided witha lip 16" (FigQ) which engages the lower edge of the master card thereby preventing accidental separation therefrom.

An outstanding characteristic of the invention consists in a signal which is constructed aiidarranged visibly to indicate the presence or absence of the card in the pocket witheut the necessity of swinging the next` preceding card upwardly. Another feature consists inthe arrangement of the holdersheet, and card which enablesthe card to bel readily grasped and removed from the pocket. A still further feature resides in detachably connecting the card to the holder sheet to provide a pocket for the reception.

of an index card. This enables the holder to be usedV repeatedly becauselwhenone' sheet is filled another may be quickly and easily substituted therefor. 'K d y lVitliout further 'analysis7 the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of this invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without'omitting certain features` that from the standpoiiit'of the prior artA fairly constitute essential characterstics ofthe genericor specific aspects of this invention, and thereforesuch adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalency of the fol-.

lowing claims. The term color-s is used in a broad sense to connote contrasting lines or shades` whether actually' colored or Iclaim: 1. An index device comprisinga holder sheet having a colored area, a record sheet removably mounted on said first-mentioned sheet and forming therewith a pocket, said record sheet having an aperture adapted to register with said colored area, and a reinovable record card in said pocket movable relatively to said holder sheet to cover said aperture, said record card being colored diiferent-V ly from said colored area whereby when said aperture is covered by said record cardthe presence thereof is visibly indicated through the aperture. i

2. An index device, comprising a holder sheet, a sheet, means cooperating with the holder sheet and second mentioned sheet at thelowe'r margins thereof for detachably connectingV saidsheets, said second-mentioned sheet and holder sheet forming a pocket, an index card formed for removable insertion in said pocket, said holder sheet having a colored white,

area adjacent one edge thereof, said secondmentioned sheet having an opening registering with a portion of said colored area and said index card having a colored area for registry with the opening in said second mentioned sheet of a color different from the colored area on said holder sheet.

3. An index device, comprising a holder sheet having a colored area,` another sheet mounted on said holder sheet having an opening formed to register with and expose a-restricted portion of the colored area on said holder sheet, and a card for insertion between the sec-ond-mentioned sheet and holder sheet having a colored area of different color from the area on the holder sheet adapted to register with said opening,whereby the p-resence of the card will be visibly indicated by the display of its colored area through the opening in the second-mentioned sheet and the absence of the Second-mentioned sheet will be indicated by the display of the colored area on the holder sheet.

4. An index device, comprising a holder sheet, a sheet of substantially the same length and smaller transverse dimension than said holder sheet, means detachably securing said second-mentioned sheet to said holder sheet with the endsand one side edge in coincident relation, and an index card of less length than said sheets, and having a width greater than said second mentioned sheet and less than the holder sheet, said card being adapted for insertion between the second-mentioned sheet and holder sheet with one edge projecting beyond the second-mentioned sheet, and the ends terminating inwardly of the ends of the second-mentioned sheet and holder sheet, whereby the card may be easily seen and grasped for removal. f

5. An index device, comprising a holder sheet, a transparent sheath secured to and enclosing the lower margin of the holder sheet, a sheet having its lower margin provided with a plurality of` horizontally alined indicia, said second-mentioned sheet having the lower margin inserted in said sheath and removably secured to said holder sheet, and an indicator slidably retained in said sheath by Said card having an opening for registry with the indicia on said second-mentioned sheet, said indicator being manually slidable to bring said opening into registry with predetermined indicia to .display a desired signal.

6. In an index device comprising a holder sheet having a colored area, a transparent sheath connected to said holder sheet at the lower margin thereof to form a pocket therewith, a sheet removably associated with said holder sheet having its lower margin within said pocket and having an opening arranged to register with the coloredV area on said holder, and an index card adapted to be placed behind said sheet in the pocket, said card having a portion colored differently from said colored area on said holder to show through the opening when the card is in place, whereby the absence of both said card and sheet is indicated by said ,colored` area.

7. An index device comprising a holder sheet, a transparent sheath enclosing one margin of said holder sheet, a sheet having one margin thereof removably disposed *withinl said sheath and forming with said holder sheet a pocket, an index card of diierent color than the holder sheet adapted tobe disposed within said pocket with the uppermargin- 

